Looking For Suggestions On New EDC

[KLB]

For me, this is a no brainer... Given your price point, IMO there are only a small handful of guns I would trust my life to.

I would say if you can find a P30 (9mm) with LEM trigger, that would be an instant buy. With the price drops HK just made, you are essentially getting a what used to be $950 plus dollar gun for $500ish. Thats an incredible value, and its a gun that meets every single point you have asked for.

Just behind that, I would say go get a G19 either Gen3 or Gen4. Buy them used... there are plenty out and most Glocks are going to last a lifetime. Glocks are the mustang of the firearms world so you can tinker and toy around until your hearts content if you get board with it later on. I would say skip all the other plastic brands outside of Glock and HK. Honestly, with the **** Springfield pulled a few years back... I would never, ever support this company. S&W... eh, just to many moving parts inside with a randomly strange trigger system... Glock just beats it with that point alone.

Other than a G19... a G43 would def be in right behind that choice.

I do like the G42 but, its because of how concealable it is. If you are a bigger dude, just get the 43!

Really, thats the list man...

HK P30 (LEM)
G19 (Gen 3 or Gen 4)
G43

Anything else outside out these guns at the $500 ish dollar mark make very little sense to me. Thats my opinion, its one I have developed over years and years of owning, shooting, and running everything you can imagine right into the ground.

Cheers!

Where is the thumb safety on your suggestions?

 

[Amishman44]

I have a college bud who is 6' 6" and has HUGE hands (nearly double my smaller hands)...and he favors the Glock 21 and Glock 30 (standard frame) pistols in .45 acp.

The Glock 30 (compact) comes standard with a 10-round magazine (for EDC) yet you can use a Glock 21 13-round magazine in it + add an A&G or EZ-Grip grip spacer to fill in the 'dip' area below the grip...and have a full-sized grip on compact pistol.

The .45 acp is a moderate round to shoot (grain weights ranging anywhere from 155 grain up through 230 grain...in standard or +P pressures) that can serve a multitude of purposes...and is easily reloadable.

The Glock 30 has a variety of options and accessories available for it...grip enhancers, night sights, extended mag and slide releases, etc...under barrel/frame light rail already included!

It's an excellent pistol with an excellent round...and if having a thumb-safety is an important option for you...you can simply have one added:

https://www.cominolli.com/product-page/msk

 

[addictedhealer]

I’d say M2.0 Compact in 9mm or a CZ P07. Price is there, reliability is there and a great size for edc and home defense.

 

[addictedhealer]

Where is the thumb safety on your suggestions?

Glocktards struggle with with reading comprehension.

 

[Ggreen]

I nearly forgot about the p07. It would fill all your check boxes with a choice of safety or decocker. I had one in 40 and it was very tame, I never found a round that made it snappy. The problem with the p07, like most non Glock/mp is holster selection. There are a few good ones out for it tho. The p07 Omega had an acceptable trigger that when broke in turns into a very smooth duty trigger. Only real source of upgrades is Cajun, which is a good source.

There is a growing number of us with the 2.0 compact Here and thousands of rounds between us with no failures to report. I'd still recommend it over the p07. Both I've had were in 40 and the Smith has been easier to control and extremely light recoiling even with hot let/self defense ammo. The 9 has to be like a 22.

 

[cundiff5535]

Where is the thumb safety on your suggestions?

i just threw that out... anyone carry a defense gun with a safety (other than a 1911)... makes little sense to me. Just another thing you need to worry about in a high stress situation.

 

[cundiff5535]

Glocktards struggle with with reading comprehension.

lol, go read my posts over the years in this forum, you would quickly know I am far from a Glock fanboy. It’s funny the crap people will recommend to folks though.

 

[Route 45]

i just threw that out... anyone carry a defense gun with a safety (other than a 1911)... makes little sense to me. Just another thing you need to worry about in a high stress situation.

So a manual safety makes no sense on any firearm because of high stress, but it's A-ok on a 1911 because.....??


Anyhow, for the OP (who mentioned several times that he wants a safety on his pistol...ie:no Glocks), I'd agree with those recommending the M&P 2.0 Compact. Let's look at your requirements:

1. semi-auto--I'm open to different calibers so I'm not wanting to exclude much here...let's say minimum .380, though probably 9mm or above most likely.
Yup. Available in 9mm or .40.

2. external thumb safety--ambi is nice but not absolutely necessary
Available with or without ambidextrous thumb safety.

3. grip fits pretty big paw--I'm 6'1" with big hands and really don't like not getting to use my pinky on the grip
Full 3 finger grip on this one. Comes with 2 mag sleeves to use full size mags if you wish.

4. fun to shoot--kind of goes with #3, but I am not fond of really snappy guns that are difficult to keep on target due to excessive perceived recoil
Extremely easy to shoot, especially in 9mm. Excellent ergonomics and trigger.

5. at least fairly concealable IWB
Maybe the only fly in the ointment. Easily concealable, but the grip texture is rough. If you are wearing it against skin, might have to hit the grip with a little light sanding or install a rubberized Talon grip or similar. But again, one of the easiest to conceal and still have a full size grip. The overall grip shape is much more rounded and easy to conceal under a light cover garment than other pistols of similar size.

6. "reasonably" priced--let's say under $500 or at least in that ballpark--I will just never win the argument that I *need* to spend a thousand on another new gun...sigh.
Around $400 all day long.

7. hopefully not mutually exclusive with #5, but reliable as well; I'm not a snob when it comes to manufacturers as I've had a S&W that got sent back twice and an old Taurus that I shot until I finally wore out the recoil spring, replaced it and it kept going...STILL unhappy I sold that one.
Not sure which S&W you had to send back, but I have several M&Ps, and they are all reliable. Many have the new M&P Compact 2.0 models with thousands of trouble-free rounds.

 

[Bigtanker]

The Ruger SR series has an Ambi Safety.

 

[Route 45]

Ruger SR series is another fine suggestion. Grip is longer than an M&P Compact 2.0, but very slim and fairly easy to conceal. Also full 17+1 capacity in 9mm.
I've seen mags in a two-pack for $40, a great value. I have the Ruger 9E and like it very much. The grip texture of the SR series wouldn't chafe your skin if carried IWB against your side.

The pop-up loaded chamber indicator is ugly as sin, but some people like them. I got the 9E instead specifically because I don't like the loaded chamber indicator.
Aftermarket support (sights, holsters, etc) is more abundant for the M&P series, but not bad for the Rugers.

 

[eric001]

Wow--give the thread some time and some really great ideas come rolling in!

@Bigtanker: I like the Ruger...except for how it fits, or rather doesn't fit, my hand. Just doesn't feel right.

For those of you thinking of the M&P 2.0... how's the trigger pull on those?

And @Ggreen: since I'm a, ahem, bigger guy... weight usually doesn't bother me. Now, sharp edges...hhhmmm...

It's looking like I need to double down on fondling, er, handling M&P's and CZ's to see what really feels best in hand. Then figure out which shoots better for me.

I've had several times where I loved a gun someone else hated and visa versa, just based on how they felt when shooting. Probably a common thing, or at least it seems that way for me.

As I said toward the beginning, this process will take a while...weeks, months, who knows?
And I VERY much appreciate the advice from all of you willing to share it. My mind is still open to new ideas on this one--at least until I shoot something that I just fall in love with--then you'll all probably have to endure a new thread from me gushing about how awesome the new addition is!

 

[Route 45]

The trigger on the M&P 2.0 is very good. Good, crisp break and tactile reset. Much better than the 1.0 generation M&Ps. Although I've never really had a problem with the 1.0 generation triggers, either. Most striker fired triggers are very good nowadays.

Here's a good review:

[video=youtube;VgB0F6m-TaA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgB0F6m-TaA[/video]

 

[Ggreen]

Pm me sometime I'll let you shoot my cz75 and my 2.0. Neither has the safety. I like the decocker 75 and slick side mp, but they will let you get hands on.

 

[88E30M50]

I'm a big fan of the CZ line of pistols. There are several in the CZ lineup that would fit your needs quite well, but the P07 is the first one that I'd recommend given the criteria that you stated. The P07 in 9mm is a pretty sweet shooting pistol for an all day range session and it carries really well too. CZ has factory +2 mag extensions that don't add much to the grip length but give you a 17+1 compact pistol that is both friendly to large hands and carry friendly. I tend to carry my P07s in the winter due to the big, glove friendly, trigger guards. As a plus, they also tend to come in well under the $500 price point, especially if bought used.

 

[88E30M50]

Another option if you are willing to forego the safety is the CZ P10C. It's a 9mm striker fired gun that is a really nice shooter. It's become my favorite carry gun for 9mm now. The only gun I'm comfortable carrying that has a safety is a 1911 and only with an extended safety. Most other guns that have safeties have ones that are on the small side that would be way to easy to miss in the stress of a sudden attack.

 

[WebSnyper]

The trigger on the M&P 2.0 is very good. Good, crisp break and tactile reset. Much better than the 1.0 generation M&Ps. Although I've never really had a problem with the 1.0 generation triggers, either. Most striker fired triggers are very good nowadays.

The 2.0 trigger is good with a tactile reset, etc. I believe it is much better than the 1.0's. I have been Glock for 20+ years, and I tried (purchased) a 1.0 9c, which I put a RAM kit in because the reset was not tactile enough for me. I quickly sold the 9c 1.0, as even with the RAM kit I could not make the jump for that trigger. I have had no such issue with the 2.0 Compact.

 

[mcapo]

I concur with WebSnyper...the 2.0 trigger is much better than the 1.0 trigger. Personally, I prefer a flat faced trigger and just ordered an Apex for my 2.0 but that's a preference not a criticism of the 2.0 trigger.

If you want a good factory trigger; the CZ P10C is a stand out (no safety). The Walther PPQ's are suppose to have great triggers but I have no personal experience beyond the gun store and I don't know that they make a safety model?

 

[Route 45]

The Walther PPQ's are suppose to have great triggers but I have no personal experience beyond the gun store and I don't know that they make a safety model?

I have owned both a 9mm PPQ and a .45 PPQ. They are awesome shooters. They are very ergonomic and very accurate. They were both reliable.

The triggers were the best triggers that I've ever experienced on a striker fired gun. However, I think they are a bit light for a defensive carry piece. I found myself double-tapping when I didn't mean to. It might not have been the trigger by itself, but the PPQ has a bit more muzzle flip than other pistols that I've fired. That, combined with the light trigger, caused me to occasionally send 2 rounds downrange when I meant to send one. Yikes! I probably could have trained to the system, but that's never happened with other striker fired guns that I have shot, so I let my PPQs go to other loving homes.

 

[Route 45]

Here's another candidate. A little harder to find, and the mags are $45 each, but it comes with 3 of them in the box. I have 2 of these and love them. Mine are the "no thumb safety" models, but you can get them with the thumb safety. They are totally ambidextrous and excellent shooters. A bit more expensive than an M&P compact, you can find them for around $460-$520 or so.

Here are mine:

https://fnamerica.com/products/pistols/fns-9/

 

[88E30M50]

The thumb safety on that top picture is scary small. If I'm going to carry with a thumb safety, it's going to be an extended 1911 style big old piece of metal out there. Darn near big enough to park a car on. The only real use for a thumb safety that small would be to flick it on during reholstering and then off once in the holster if that's possible. Just my opinion though... Route45: I would go for the safety-less version too.